Missouri News, Politics, Opinions

Main menu

Sub menu

Don Phillips joins GOP opposition to tax cut override

– Republican State Rep. Don Phillips became another in a series of Republicans to indicate his opposition to state income tax legislation up for a veto override attempt later this year.

Phillips, who originally supported the bill, made the announcement in a voicemail message on his office line.

“If you happen to be calling about the override of House Bill 253, Rep. Phillips will be voting ‘no’ on the override of the Governor’s veto,” his office said.

A handful of Republican lawmakers who originally supported the bill have since began to distance themselves from the bill. Just this week, Rep. Mike Thompson, R-Maryville, echoed Nixon’s language and called the bill “an experiment” that he feared could hurt local school. He joined Reps. Jeff Girsamore and Nate Walker in indicating his opposition.

House Speaker Tim Jones joined other leadership members earlier this week to discuss various issues, as well as update each other on the whipping process. The entire Republican caucus is set to meet in St. Louis this weekend to consider the 29 bills Nixon vetoed. The meetings are closed to the public.

Jones said to override Nixon, he would likely need unanimous support from the Republican caucus.